Springfield Cricket Club - history

Springfield Cricket Club was founded in 1960 although there are records of cricket being played in the area back in the 18th century. In 1769 a combined X1 of Springfield and Boreham were beaten by a Chelmsford X1.

Throughout the 19th century a Springfield team played fairly regularly, and sometimes against sides with county and even international players. Between 1905 and 1960 village cricket was played occasionally in Springfield, but it was not until the 1961 season that the newly formed club began to take the field on a regular basis.

The formation and growth of Springfield Cricket Club has followed closely the expansion of Springfield, from the quiet village on the edge of Chelmsford, as it was 50 years ago, to the major residential area it is today. The club has grown with the 'village' and is now one of the largest in Essex. In line with its growth, the club has also developed a well organised approach to its self management. All members take great pride in the way it is run socially, commercially and in terms of both senior and junior cricket.

Since 1961, the club has been based at Coronation Park, where it has two good cricket pitches, an excellent clubhouse, and shower and bathing facilities. The clubhouse was built in 1971 and extended in 1983 to its current size.

The club was a founder member of the Mid-Essex League in 1975, and became the league's first champions in that year. It has been a strong supporter of the League as it has grown, entering a 2nd X1 in 1982, a 3rd X1 in 1987, a 4th X1 in 2001 and a 5th X1 in 2019. Springfield was the first team to enter both a third and fourth team into the league.

In recent years we have won the Premier Division title in 1997, 2001, 2012, 2014, 2018 and 2019, while being runners up in 1998, 1999, 2002, 2013, 2015, 2016 and 2017. In 2001 Springfield Cricket Club achieved the unique position of having the highest placed first, second, third and fourth teams in the eleven divisions of the Mid-Essex League.

Into the 21st Century Springfield Cricket Club has continued to grow in both size and status. During the cricket season we have six senior and six junior teams playing almost every week. In 2003 Springfield became a Clubmark Focus Club which guarantees that we are fully qualified to provide a safe and professional environment to coach cricket for all children in our community. Over 100 young people are involved in coaching and playing at the Club, from 5 and 6 years of age in our development group to 16 in our Essex Matchplay team. Club coaches also work in most local schools to bring cricket to a new generation of Springfield residents.

The Club now has one of the most successful disability cricket teams in Essex – the Springfield Tigers.

Since 2000 Springfield Cricket Club has also become a fully international and cosmopolitan organisation. In recent years we have welcomed players from Australia, Canada, India, Pakistan and South Africa who wish to play recreational cricket in the UK (it is club policy not to pay players).At the same time we have toured every year to Eastern Europe and helped to spread and develop cricket in Croatia, the Czech Republic, Romania, Slovenia and Serbia. We will continue to strengthen these links with the wider international cricket community.